The present invention relates to an abnormal cell detecting device in which cancer cells may be detected in a nonoperative and non-invasive manner, for example, in an examination for breast cancer.
Conventionally, palpitation and diagnostic devices utilizing X-ray mammography, ultrasonic scanning and thermography have been proposed to diagnose abnormal cells in the human body, for example, breast cancer cells. However, since X-ray mammography may cause radiation-related illnesses such as birth defects or cancer, even if X-ray mammography is better than ultrasonic scanning and thermography in resolution, the use of X-ray mammography tends to be limited in countries such as the United States of America. Even though use of the ultrasonic scanner has become wide spread, its resolution is not good enough for early detection of breast cancer. The practical application of thermography has not yet been established.
Recently, a mammo-scanner as shown in FIG. 1 has been introduced. With this scanner, electrodes 2a and 2b are respectively attached to the skin of a portion of a body 1 including a breast, and the corresponding portion of the back. Each electrode is constituted as an independent assembly of one electrode cell. The value of the electrostatic capacity from one electrode cell to the opposite electrode cell is measured in response to signals S1a and S1b which are respectively supplied from one electrode cell and the opposite cell. The presence or absence of a cancer cell is thus determined by a large or small measured value. However, since the electrodes 2a and 2b of the mammo-scanner of this type are attached respectively to the breast and to the corresponding portion on the back, the results are influenced by the organs interposed between the electrodes (that is, the cells) and their conditions, resulting in inclusion of many error components into the measured value. Further, since the shape of the breast varies, lengths lhd 1 and l.sub.2 from one electrode to the other electrode vary so that the number of cells included in the range between the lengths also varies. Therefore, even if abnormal cells are absent in this range, the scanner may erroneously indicate that abnormal cells are present. After examination, a correction in accordance with body shape is required in order to prevent the trouble described above. Therefore, the device as a whole becomes large and complicated.